Silicon Valley star T.J. Miller has come forward to explain why he will not return for season 5 next year. In a turn of events that left many fans of the Mike Judge original comedy series a bit taken aback, Miller has made it known that his time as the always boisterous Erlich Bachman has come to an end. Despite being part of a show that has become a quick success with general audiences on HBO, Miller decidedly has his hands full with other creative ventures - including his thriving presence as a standup comedian, as the star of the forthcoming animated production The Emoji Movie, and reprising his role as Weasel in the forthcoming comic book movie sequel Deadpool 2.
For many, Miller may have been a character actor whose bit performances in several studio comedies over the course of the 2000s left his as a face lacking the kind of breakout film or television role needed to shoot him into superstardom. But with Silicon Valley, Miller definitely made a name for himself as the feckless entrepreneur Erlich Bachman - though the latest word from the comic performer offers some reason as to why Miller might want to leave the beloved character and popular show behind him.
In a recent interview with EW, Miller took the time to explain why his time as Erlich Bachman will be coming to an end. Citing all of the different projects that he is currently working on - including the recently revived The Gorburger Show web series now airing on Comedy Central - Miller definitely has his hands full. Speaking to his intentions in leaving Silicon Valley, Miller explained:
"I would love to do The Emoji Movie and things like that and have the time to develop animated features. I would like to keep offering up Gorburger and letting people see a very different side of talk show guests. And that was a big part of why I said, 'I’ve learned everything I can from this show. I would love to continue to be involved with it, if only because fans really do enjoy the show, and they seem to enjoy the character. But ultimately I just have to make more things and different things.'
I work so much. I do every single platform. … So [I left] for my own sanity, and for the sake of slowing down, and being more present and able to devote more time to this myriad of projects that I have going on."
In an effort not to seem ungrateful for the success and audience that Silicon Valley has afforded him, Miller expanded upon his misgivings about the longevity of his own performance as Erlich Bachman, stating:
"The other thing of it is that I didn’t get into comedy to be a television actor, and the second that I felt that there was a possibility of going on autopilot — of even phoning it in with this particular project — that’s when I say, ‘Okay, I gotta walk away. I have to do something where this won’t happen. I can’t allow myself to show up and give a B-plus performance on a show that is an A-plus when it comes to television.’ That is a huge, huge part of it."
It's definitely big of Miller to admit when he thinks his performance with a certain project is running the risk of getting stale, and in leaving Erlich Bachman perhaps the rest of the cast and crew of Silicon Valley will manage to find new ways to explore its highly comedic world without Miller. On that note, here's to hoping for a bright future from the beloved comic actor as he sets his sights on future projects.
Next: Summer 2017 TV Premiere Dates
Silicon Valley season 4 airs Sundays on HBO.
Source: EW